Mike Brewer

Hey Everyone!
I know I have been scarce on the board the last few days, but things are busy. I wanted to take a moment, however, and share with you a comment from someone I trained today. This person is a Sergeant First Class from the 82nd Airborne who will be deploying to Iraq within a month or two. He's currently on his fourth deployment, and it will be his second time into Iraq since the first Gulf War. I am withholding his name as a courtesy, and because I neglected to ask for permission to reprint this. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind, but I'll allow his anonymity just the same.

I shared seversal of the ideas and sentiments shared on this board with him, from the general support you guys have shown to the ideas you shared for defeating IEDs to the scenario brainstorming that took place in the What If game we played. He looked over some of it, and paused for a few moments before saying,

"Sir, I think this is really cool. People always drive around with their little yellow ribbon magnets on their cars saying they support the troops, but you never see people get involved like this. Looks like you have a good group of people out there trying to put themselves in our shoes, and I'll bet that goes a long way toward building some real support here at home for what we have to go over there and do every day."

He went on (and of course, this is just to the best of memory and not word for word), "It's nice to see the stickers and magnets and stuff, but the idea that these folks are actually trying to think about things from a soldier's point of view and trying to think about ways to win the war is a lot more real to me." He concluded his comment with (and this IS word for word)

"If you get the chance, tell all the people who posted on your forum that we said thanks to them for their support."

I know this is just an internet forum, and it's just some people sharing ideas and having fun, but I wanted you guys to know that the troops are seeing your support, and they appreciate it. It's people like all of you who are getting involved in what our servicemembers are going through that makes their mission more meaningful. And when they come home, it's the folks like you guys and girls here that balance out all the myopic protestors who might otherwise meet them at the airport with signs, spit, and obscene namecalling. It made me feel pretty good that our discussions here are that much of a morale boost to the people going into harm's way, and I thought it might do the same for you. So on behalf of this NCO and everyone else who's been motivated or inspired by what you guys share, thank you all very, very much for taking the time to post.

Mike